send them in two bundles, being too big for one letter. The bishops, so far as I can learn from the Bishop of Ossory, have not made any step since I left London. I will endeavour to get you a letter from the bishops to solicit that affair. In the mean time, open the letter to the two bishops, and make use of it as occasion shall serve. The scheme I had laid for them is crossed by my lord-treasurer's being out; though, perhaps, that would not have done; but her majesty's promise I depended on, and I had engaged the Archbishop of York in it. When he comes to London, I will give you a letter to him. I can likewise find means, I believe, to possess my Lord Shrewsbury and Mr Harley, with the reasonableness of the affair. I am not courtier enough to know the properness of the thing; but I had once an imagination to attempt her majesty herself by a letter, modestly putting her in mind of the måtter; and no time so proper, as when there is no lord-lieutenant of Ireland, which perhaps may be soon; but this needs advice. There are great men here as much out of humour, as you describe your great visitee to have been; nor does the good news from Spain † clear them. I believe, however, they are glad at it, though another would have served their occasions as well. I do not apprehend any other secret in all this affair, but to get whigs out of all places of profit and trust, and to get others in them. As for peace, it must be on no other terms than the preliminaries; *The Earl of Godolphin. See the preceding letter. + Probably of the battle near Saragoza, in which King Charles of Spain gained a complete victory over his competitor, King Philip, on the 10th of August 1710.-B. and you'll find a tory parliament will give money as freely, and be as eager to prosecute the war, as the whigs were, or they are not the wise men I take them to be. If they do so, and take care to have the money well disposed of when given, they will break the King of France's heart, and the whigs together, and please the nation. There's an ugly accident, that happens here in relation to our twentieth parts and first-fruits: at midsummer, 1709, there was ready money in the treasury, and good solvent debts to the queen to the value of 70,0001. Now I am told, by the last week's abstract, there is only 2231. in the treasury, and the army unpaid, at least uncleared for a-year; and all others, except pensioners, in the same condition. Now the great motive to prevail with her majesty to give the clergy the bounty petitioned for, was the clearness of the revenue here; but if that be anticipated, perhaps it may make an objection. I will add no more, but my prayers for you. SIR, I am, &c. WILL. DUBLIN. TO DEAN STERNE. London, Sept. 26, 1710. ONE would think this an admirable place from whence to fill a letter, yet when I come to examine particulars, I find they either consist of news, which you hear as soon by the public papers, or of persons and things, to which you are a stranger, and are the wiser and happier for being so. Here have been great men every day resigning their places; a resignation as sincere as that of a usurer on his death-bed. Here are some, that fear being whipped because they have broken their rod; and some that may be called to an account, because they could not cast one up. There are now not much above a dozen great employments to be disposed of, which, according to our computation, may be done in as many days. Patrick assures me his acquaintance are all very well satisfied with these changes, which I take for no ill symptom, and it is certain the queen has never appeared so easy or so cheerful. I found my Lord Godolphin the worst dissembler of any of them that I have talked to: and no wonder, since his loss and danger are greater, beside the addition of age and complexion. My lord-lieutenant is gone to the country, to bustle about elections. He is not yet removed; because they say it will be requisite to supersede him by a successor, which the queen has not fixed on; nor is it agreed whether the Duke of Shrewsbury or Ormond‡ stand fairest. I speak only for this morning, because reports usually change every twenty-four hours. Meantime the pamphlets and half sheets grow so upon our hands, it will very well employ a man every day from morning till night to read them, and so out of perfect despair I never read any at all. The whigs, like an army beat three quarters out of the field, begin to skirmish but faintly; and deserters daily come over. We are amazed to find our mistakes, and how it was possible to see so much merit where there was none, and to * Dr Swift's Irish servant. + Earl of Wharton.-B. The Duke of Ormond was appointed lord-lieutenant, Oct. 19, 1710.-B. overlook it where there was so much. When a great minister has lost his place, immediately virtue, honour, and wit, fly over to his successor, with the other ensigns of his office. Since I left off writing, I received a letter from my Lord Archbishop of Dublin, or rather two letters upon these memorials. I think immediately to begin my soliciting, though they are not very perfect; for I would be glad to know, whether my lord archbishop would have the same method taken here, that has been done in England, to settle it by parliament: but, however that will be time enough thought of this good while. I must here tell you, that the Dean of St Patrick's lives better than any man of quality I know; yet this day I dined with the comptroller, who tells me, he drinks the queen's wine to-day. I saw Collector Sterne, † who desired me to present his service to you, and to tell you he would be glad to hear from you, but not about business; by which, I told him, I guessed he was putting you off about something you desired. I would much rather be now in Ireland drinking your good wine, and looking over, while you lost a crown at penny-ombre. I am weary of the caresses of great men out of place. The comptroller expects every day the queen's commands to break his staff. He is the last great household officer they intend to turn out. My lord-lieutenant is yet in, because they cannot agree about his successor. I am your most obedient humble servant, * Sir John Holland, Bart.-H. + Enoch Sterne, Esq. Collector of Wicklow, and clerk of the house of lords in Ireland.-F. A MEMORIAL OF DR SWIFT'S TO MR HARLEY, ABOUT THE FIRST-FRUITS. { October 17, 1710. IN Ireland, hardly one parish in ten has any glebe, and the rest very small and scattered, except a very few; and these have seldom any houses. There are in proportion more impropriations in Ireland than in England, which, added to the poverty of the country, make the livings of very small and uncertain value, so that five or six are often joined to make a revenue of 501. per annum: but these have seldom above one church in repair, the rest being destroyed by frequent wars, &c. The clergy, for want of glebes, are forced in their own or neighbouring parish, to take farms to live at rack-rents. The queen having some years since remitted the first-fruits to the clergy of England, the Bishop of Cloyne, being then in London, did petition her majesty for the same favour in behalf of the clergy of Ireland, and received a gracious answer. But this affair, for want of soliciting, was not brought to an issue during the governments of the Duke of Ormond, and Earl of Pembroke. Upon the Earl of Wharton's succeeding, Dr Swift (who had solicited this matter in the preceding government), was desired by the bishops * * Originally written, directed.-N. |